Wheel assembly



June 10, 1930. R. s. BURDETTE I Q 1,753,576

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Patented June 10, 1930 UNEXED STATES RICHARD S.

PATENT OFFICE BURDETTE, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOODYEARTIRE & RUB- BER COMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO I WHEEL ASSEMBLY This invention relates to vehicle wheel assemblies, and it has particular relation to .an improved wheel assembly of the felloeless type wherein a tire carrying rim is sedirectly upon the spokes of a wheel.

It has been proposed heretofore to mount a rim, having tapered seating projections, directly upon the spokes of a wheel by 1 means of wedges engaging the seating projections of the rim and inclined seats formed on the spokes. In all such instances,.however, so far as the applicant is aware, it has been necessary .to accurately machine the seating surfaces, both on the rim and on the spokes, to insure proper engagement of the wedges therewith;

Since the operation of machining the rims and spokes is exceedingly laborious and time-consuming, it represents a large portion of the complete cost of the production of the resulting wheel assembly. Furthermore, after such a wheel assembly has been in service, the rim and sometimes the spokes become distorted after which it is practically impossible to accurately position the rim upon the wheel. This condition is due largely to the fact that the rim is supported upon the spokes by means of relatively wide 3 contacting surfaces.

The primary object of this invention is to overcome the difficulties above mentioned by the provision of a wheel assembly wherein the wedge members engage both the rim 3 and the spokes by line contact only, which permits flexing of the rim intermediate the lines of contact and also obviates the necessity of accurately machining the seating surfaces.

. A further object of the invention is to provide rim positioning lugs so formed as to establish line contact only with the rim and the spokes of a wheel assembly.

A still further object of the invention is to provide rim positioning lugs which are formed to establish line contact with spaced portions of one member, and single line contact with another member.

For a better understanding of the invend tion reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the disclosure wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentary side-elevational View of a portion of a wheel assembly embodying the novel features of the invention;

Figure 2 is a crosssectional view taken" substantially along the line II II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a similar view taken substantially along the line IIIIII of Figure 1;

Figure 4L is a side-elevational view of positioning lug as utilized in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig ure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side-elevational view of a portion of a wheel assembly embodying a modified construction;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line VI-VI of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a side-elevational view of a rim positioning lug of the type employed in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 5.

In the embodiment of the invention illustratedin Figs. 1 to 1 inclusive, a plurality l A rim 13,

adjacent the seats 16. Bolts 20, carried by the flanges 12 of thespokes, and nuts 18 threaded thereon serve to position a plu rality of wedging lugs 19 between the inclined seats 11 formed on the spokes and the respective seats 16 formed on the projections 15.

In contra-distinction to the present practice of employing positioning lugs formed with opposed flat inclined surfaces the lugs 19 are each formed with a curved inclined surface 21 and an opposed inclined surface 22 which is formed to provide a pair of rounded spaced ridges 23 for engagement with the respective seats 16 and 11.

instead of fiat, and the lugs 26 are so formed and positioned as to establish single line contact with the seats 25'andspaced -line contacts withvthevflat seats 27 formedoni the projections 15 of the rim 13.

In the practice of. the, inventionither rim 13' is positioned uponthe spokes with, the shoulders 17 in. contact with, the outer portions of. the' flanges 12. of the vrspok'esr The positioning lugs are then. placed upon the bolts 20 and forced into wedging relation withithesurfaces lland 16 by meanso-fth'e nuts.v18.-.

Sinceline contact only, is established-between the positioningplugs19 and'the inclined seats of the spokes and-the rim, accurate machining of the seats is not necessary. The lugs 19 may pivot about the bolts QOYuntil spaced line contacts with oneof the members, and single line contact with the other member, has been established.

a It has been found by; experimentation that rims which have become deformed in service may be mounted readily in proper concentric relation by reason of the line contacts established between the' positioning'lugsiand the seating'surfaces on the rimsand spokes. Obviously this result wouldi .beimpossible to obtain if flat surfaced lugswere employed without first straightening the rim. or'remachini'ngits seating surfaces;

Although I have illustrated only. two forms which my invention mayassume, and have described in detail only atsingle application thereof, it will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that the invention is notso limited, but that various modifications'may be made therein without departing 'fromthe spirit of the invention or 'fromthe scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1 A wheel assembly including. a spoke formed with an inclined seat, a rim formed with an inwardly extending projection providing an inclined seat, and a wedging member formed to make line contact with spaced portions of one of the inclined seats and single line contact with the otherinclined seat.

2; A wheel assembly including spoke formed with an inclined seat, a rim formed with an inwardly extending-projection providinganinclined seat, a wedging member formed to-make line contact with spaced poropposed inclinedisur tions of one of the inclined seats and single line contact with the other inclined seat, and means for positioning and maintaining the member in position between the seats.

3. A wheel assembly includin a plurality of radiatingspokes with an inclined seat a rim formed with'spa'ced projections providing inclined seats; wedging members,-eaeh formation, oaaside with apair of-spaeed ridgesamili on-rtlin. other side with a single ridge, interposed between the rim seatsamrl the seats on the respective spokes.

4. A wheel assembly including a plurality Of radi ating S oRm-feach formed with an inclined seat; a rim formed with spaced. proj ection'st providing inclined seats; wed ging members, each 1 formed on" oneside witha pair. ofispaced ridges: and on the other" side with a singlemidge, i nterppsed' between the rim seats and the seats on respecti've spokes and means traversing the members and the spokeszfor maintaining the vmembers in position between theseatse.

5; A riirri positioning lug wpai'rfiof.

me oftlre- -mfaces being formed twpro'vi'da pair-of sp'aced parallel ridges:

6'. A' rim positionihg-liig-hawin a: of opposed-inclined surfaces; one faces being formed" to'-- provides atpair of" spaced 1 parallel" ridges and' -the' obh'erbeimg formed to make line-contact with am engagi'ng' plana surface.

A rimposit'ini ng l ug having anpaim-o-f opposed incliried sun a faces being; curved and the other' being formed to providea pai-r ofl spweed ridgess 83 A- wheel formed' with an inclined sendl,

a" rim formedwith an inwardly r extending, 7

projection providingan inclined seat; amdia wcdgingmember formed tomakei lines corrtact' with spaced portione of one 0 1. thesinclinedseats and 'single line contact wiishrtbb other incli'1'1ed seat:

9. A wheel formed with an -inclimed ismt, 7'?

a rinr formed with arr inward-13y extending projection providing-=' an inclirred seein a wed-ging member frmect to make-. line contact with"spacedi portions ot one Ofi. the im clined seats and single line contact withi the- :7

other 'incli ned seat; and meaneifier' ing a-nd maintaining the memban in .positizin between the seats: 1

April, 1928 RICHARD S BUBDEEIE 

